


Light Carries On

by how_about_no



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Pendragon Returns, M/M, POV Merlin, Post-Series, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 23:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8641885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/how_about_no/pseuds/how_about_no
Summary: The air rumbled around Merlin as he neared the lake, and he couldn’t help the bubble of hope in his stomach. For years, he had lived in solitary silence in his cottage, only speaking to passers-by when they needed help, or assisting those who sought out the legendary Emrys. Now something was happening. Something big.orArthur finally returns.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm rewatching the series so I needed this to make my heart hurt less. The title is from saturn-sleeping at last. It's such a methur song and I recommend you all go listen to it if you haven't already!

___

_You taught me the courage of stars_

_before you left_

_how light carries on endlessly_

_even after death_

_-_

 

It was late one morning, nearly 1,000 years after Arthur had died, when everything Merlin had built came crashing down around him. Almost literally.

The first real sign was when Merlin woke up without a creak in his bones. Confused, he had run to the old mirror in his bathroom and nearly choked when he saw how young he looked. Back in Camelot, he had aged like a normal man. That is until he grew to be an old man. Then he stopped. The ache in his joints never got worse or better, his beard never grew whiter, his wrinkles never deepened. Until that day.

He was young again, himself again, the way Arthur had known him.

The next day, the walls of his cottage started to crumble, as if by magic. He ran his fingers over them, whispering a spell, a frown creasing his forehead when nothing happened. Dust just came away beneath his fingertips.

When the back wall caved in he knew it was time to leave. It was like the house was telling him something, pushing him away and towards something else. He knew where he needed to go.

With one last mournful look at his home for last millennia, he headed to the lake.

His backpack was heavy on his shoulders. All his belongings in one place seemed oddly fitting considering how he started. Just one bag, a few shirts, a jacket and some breaches. That was all he took when he left Camelot, and now that was all that remained. Modernised versions, mind you. Instead of breaches they were jeans, and instead of a bag with a rope keeping it closed, there was a zipper.

The air rumbled around Merlin as he neared the lake, and he couldn’t help the bubble of hope in his stomach. For years, he had lived in solitary silence in his cottage, only speaking to passers-by when they needed help, or assisting those who sought out the legendary Emrys.

Now something was happening. Something big.

When he reached the lake, there were ripples coming from the middle, still visible by the time they reached the shore. There was no flow of water here. This lake had been stagnant for so long. There was only one thing that could be making this happen.  

He dropped his backpack, then ran towards the water and sloshed into it, hoping to God he was right. It had been so long, so long since he had seen Arthur’s face. So long since he had held him. So long since Merlin had even heard his name. If he was back, if there was even a possibility that this was the time, Merlin was going to damn well be there in the middle of the lake when Arthur came out.

Eventually his feet only just touched the ground and he had to use his hands to pull himself forwards. The magic of the lake was thrumming through his veins, singing a tune that only seemed to play when Arthur was by Merlin’s side. This was it. This was the moment Merlin had been waiting for all his life.

Anticipation whirling in his gut, Merlin watched the source of the ripples, blinking away tears. What if he was wrong? It could be something bad. Maybe the She were back, wanted him, and he just walked straight into their trap.

No, this magic felt right. It felt familiar. It felt like Arthur.

With one mighty roar, the water in front of Merlin bubbled and someone was swimming to the surface.

“Arthur!” Merlin shouted, his voice gravelly from disuse, “Arthur!”

It was him. His golden hair soaked and shining like a halo, his face contorted into a confused frown as he spat water and blinked it away from his eyes. He looked dazed for a moment, then caught his footing, rubbing his eyes with gloved hands. He was so beautiful, so _alive,_ and Merlin couldn’t move, almost floating, literally, and figuratively, watching the man he loved realise where he was.

“Mer-” Arthur blinked- “Merlin?” His eyes widened, “Merlin is that- is that you?”

“Arthur,” It’s all Merlin could say, and it was almost a sigh. No longer frozen to the spot, Merlin leapt forward and almost drowned them both when he grabbed Arthur by the shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. They both coughed and spluttered but didn’t let go, so caught up in each other.

“My God I thought I’d never see you again.” Arthur shouted, almost deafeningly, but Merlin didn’t mind.

“It’s been so long, Arthur,” Merlin felt himself tear up, “It’s been so long.”

“Merlin,” Arthur said his name like he couldn’t quite believe he could say it again, and patted the back of his head like he was scared Merlin was going to disappear, “ _Merlin.”_

The only reason Merlin pulled away was so that he could look at Arthur’s face, for the first time in what felt like a million years. He was there, he was alive, and he wasn’t some figment of Merlin’s imagination like had been playing with him for years after he died. They both just looked at each other for a moment, smiles so wide it almost hurt. Giddy with what was happening and that he finally had Arthur back, Merlin started laughing.

A moment later Arthur joined him, and then they were just two idiots, laughing with water up to their shoulders and a thousand years between them.

“Would you stop looking at me like that, Merlin,” Arthur ran his fingers through his hair, his other hand still cupping the back of Merlin’s head, “I’m not going to disappear.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe that,” Merlin said before he could think, “Sorry, it’s just. It’s been-”

“I know,” Arthur pursed his lips, “I left you. For a long time. Things have changed, and so have you. I understand.”

“I haven’t changed,” Merlin smiled ruefully, “Not really. I’m still just Merlin.”

“You were never _just_ Merlin.”

“Right,” Merlin laughed, “I’m also the lying sorcerer, right?”

“It has been a thousand years and you still haven’t let that go,” Arthur scoffed, “I can hold a grudge, Merlin, but you’ve put that one in your bones.”

“So, you don’t hate magic anymore?”

“I don’t know about magic, but I could never hate you,” Arthur’s gaze seemed to see straight through Merlin, “You- you’re different.”

“Arthur,” Merlin hoped he didn’t look a mess, and could blame the redness of his eyes on the water. Arthur’s other hand wiped away some of the tears on Merlin’s cheek, “I just-”

“I know,” Arthur said before pulling him in again. It wasn’t a hug this time. Arthur’s lips touched Merlin’s tentatively. It was the softest of kisses, and then Arthur was pulling away, his eyes not full of regret but of hope, and devotion, “I have been waiting centuries to say this, Merlin. Don’t laugh or I’ll drown you,” Arthur said playfully, and Merlin smiled, his heart thumping, “I love you. I always have. And if you’ll have me, in this new place, I would-”

“Yes!”

“Well, you could let me finish.”

“No,” Merlin shook his head, grinning so wide he could hardly see, “No, I couldn’t.”

“That’s just rude-” Arthur started, but Merlin was kissing him again, and even though he was sopping wet and freezing cold, he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

 

_-_

_The shortness of breath_

_I'll explain_ _the infinite_

_how rare and beautiful_

_it truly is_

_that we exist_

_-_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! let me know what you think.
> 
> tumblr- girlsf0rgirls


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